Working Out Keeps You Young — A Full Nine Years Younger On The Cellular Level, In Fact

You don't need anyone to tell you that you need to stay physically active to feel young, healthy, and fabulous; but new research reveals that literally, physiologically, working out keeps you young — and that includes your cells. It's not like we needed more proof that our regular sweat seshes are good for us, but we got it anyway; and the differences found between active people and sedentary people were a bit surprising.

The study, which involved nearly 6,000 adults over the course of several years, found that biological aging markers — telomeres, in this case — in people who stay very physically active appeared nine years younger than the biological aging markers in people who don't get much movement. Researchers studied their telomere length (telomeres are proteins that cap off chromosomes), and how fitness affects them. Typically, people with shorter telomeres die sooner than people with longer ones, and they're also likelier to develop certain chronic diseases, according to Professor Larry Tucker, who authored the study.

While noting the differences in telomere length may be a newer discovery, it's not the first time we've heard of it. In fact, other research confirms these findings, learning that physical fitness helps protect our telomeres from shortening, thereby holding off the aging process. In another study of cyclists between the ages of 55 and 79, researches learned that across the board, the participants didn't show their age. Overwhelmingly, their balance, reflexes, memory, and metabolic health more closely resembled levels belonging to younger adults, suggesting that overall, aging is different for active people. In another study, researchers found that taking up an exercise routine for even just three months had substantial effects on the skin of participants, making it appear younger looking.